Junior Vanguard Software Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Jaster Engineering Technology (JET) Systems develops, maintains, and innovates systems for specific and common mission capabilities, combat aides, and surveillance systems. We provide solutions through cost-effective, tailored strategies to meet mission requirements. JET is committed to working with government agencies and commercial partners to develop modern autonomous and operator-interfaced control systems. The Junior Software Engineer supports the design, development, testing, and continuous improvement of web-based software products, with a particular emphasis on software testing, beta quality assurance, and reliable product delivery. This position reports to the Senior Software Lead and is well suited for an early-career professional who is interested in growing across both software development and quality assurance disciplines.

The Junior Software Engineer position supports a hybrid work environment, providing flexibility for in-person and remote work based on program and customer needs. Candidates must reside within the St. Mary’s County/ NAS Pax River commuting area and be available to report onsite as required. This role requires effective collaboration with technical and non-technical team members and may involve participation in structured testing, exploratory testing, defect review, and software release activities. The employee must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance in the future, if requested. Compensation and work schedule will be based on experience, program requirements, and company policy. As a valued team member, we provide the following employee benefits: Health, dental, and vision insurance; Life Insurance, Paid Time Off; and a 401(K) with employer matching.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support software development and quality assurance activities throughout the software development life cycle (SDLC), including requirements review, development support, testing, release validation, and regression testing.
• Execute structured test cases and exploratory test scenarios for software and applications.
• Develop, maintain, and improve test cases, test scripts, test data, and other quality assurance documentation.
• Document test results, software defects, reproduction steps, expected and actual behavior, severity, and supporting evidence.
• Prepare and maintain defect summaries, regression reports, release-readiness findings, and other software validation artifacts.
• Collaborate with developers, product owners, analysts, and end users to clarify requirements, identify defects, and verify corrective actions.
• Support testing and user acceptance testing by collecting feedback, evaluating software behavior, and identifying usability or functional concerns.
• Perform front-end development and maintenance tasks using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and related web technologies under the direction of the software lead.
• Use version control and source management practices, including Git-based branching, commits, pull requests, and code review workflows.
• Read and understand source code at a review and troubleshooting level to assist with defect isolation and communication with developers.
• Participate in Agile or other iterative software development activities, including planning sessions, stand-ups, reviews, retrospectives, and backlog refinement.
• Independently investigate issues, propose practical solutions, and generate ideas that improve software quality, team processes, or the end-user experience.
• Communicate technical findings clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Perform other software development, testing, documentation, or product-support duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical field; candidates in the final year of an accredited degree program may also be considered.
• Basic understanding of the software development life cycle and the role of quality assurance within software planning, development, release, and maintenance activities.
• Working knowledge of front-end development concepts, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• Basic understanding of version control and source management concepts, preferably using Git.
• Basic understanding of test case design, defect reporting, regression testing, and quality assurance documentation.
• Ability to execute repeatable, structured test cases and exploratory testing across web-based applications.
• Ability to document test results and defects in a clear, organized, and reproducible manner.
• Ability to read and understand software code at a review level; advanced software development expertise is not required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to collaborate across technical and non-technical teams.
• Demonstrated self-direction, curiosity, attention to detail, and willingness to solve problems beyond narrowly assigned tasks.
• Must be able to pass a background check.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance in the future, if requested.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Hands-on experience with software quality assurance, software testing: beta testing, user acceptance testing, or software validation through employment, internships, academic projects, volunteer work, or personal projects.
• Experience contributing to software development projects of any size or type.
• Exposure to front-end frameworks such as React.
• Experience using defect tracking, project management, or software collaboration tools such as Jira, GitHub, GitLab, Trello, Azure DevOps, or similar platforms.
• Experience preparing test plans, test cases, defect reports, regression reports, or release notes.
• Familiarity with Agile or Scrum software development practices.
• Exposure to automated testing concepts, browser developer tools, APIs, databases, or continuous integration practices.
• Experience working on team-based technical projects in an academic, internship, commercial, or government environment.

DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS:

• Strong interest in software testing, beta quality assurance, and improving the reliability and usability of software products.
• Eagerness to grow as a software engineer while developing practical expertise in software quality assurance.
• Analytical mindset with a disciplined approach to identifying, reproducing, and communicating software issues.
• Ability to balance structured testing with creative exploratory testing and user-focused thinking.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new tools, technologies, and software domains quickly.
• Strong problem-solving capabilities with a solution-focused mindset.
• Detail-oriented, organized, dependable, and able to manage multiple priorities.
• Comfortable asking questions, receiving feedback, and working under the guidance of senior technical staff.
• Values integrity, accountability, coachability, collaboration, and professionalism.

Jaster Engineering Technology (JET) Systems develops, maintains, and innovates systems for specific and common mission capabilities, combat aides, and surveillance systems. We provide solutions through cost-effective, tailored strategies to meet mission requirements. JET is committed to working with government agencies and commercial partners to develop modern autonomous and operator-interfaced control systems.